CCL: Tigres UANL vs Toronto – Second Leg Recap and Highlights

Tigres UANL beat Toronto 3-2 in tonight’s quarterfinal second leg, but the resulting 4-4 aggregate draw saw the universitarios knocked out of the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League due to the away goals tiebreaker.

Tigres came into this game needing to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit. The hosts enjoyed 65% of possession and had 19 shots throughout the game as they looked to do just that, but they ultimately fell just short.

Despite chances, including a Jesús Dueñas attempt that was cleared off the line and an Andre-Pierre Gignac shot that forced a kick-save out of Alex Bono, Tigres couldn’t find the breakthrough.

Instead, in the second half, Toronto took the lead. Sebastián Giovinco’s cross deflected off the unfortunate Rafael Carioca to give the Canadians the 0-1 (1-3) advantage with an own-goal in the 64th minute.

Tigres quickly responded, though, with Eduardo Vargas heading home a corner kick to make it 1-1 (2-3) in the 69th minute.

That scoreline left Tigres needing one more to send the game to penalties and two to advance outright, but once again it was Toronto who pulled ahead. A foul by Hugo Ayala gave the visitors a free kick in a dangerous position, and Giovinco turned it into a golazo to make it 1-2 (2-4) for the Canadians in the 73rd minute.

Tigres nevertheless kept fighting and in the 84th minute Jesús Dueñas fought his way past several Toronto defenders before sending the ball to the far post where Gignac finished it off to make it 2-2 (3-4).

Then, in stoppage time, Tigres were awarded a penalty kick after Gregory van der Wiel was called for a handball. Gignac converted the spot kick to put Tigres ahead on the night and level the aggregate, but the away goals tiebreaker favored Toronto.

There was no time left to find one more goal as Tigres’ comeback attempt fell just short, making the universitarios the second Liga MX side eliminated by an MLS team in a CONCACAF knockout series.

With the 3-2 win (4-4 aggregate draw), Tigres is eliminated while Toronto advances to the semifinals.